Good morning to you all! We are back home all safe and sound. I spent all yesterday putting away suitcases, food, etc and doing up all the laundry. Today I should get upstairs and clean the upstairs, but I may just have a layabout day and try and get some more of the sweater finished. I am up to the armholes now so it won't be long.

Susan: So sorry you and Stan had to weather rain to get to his dialysis. We had heavy fog driving up, but no precipitation at all. We did get some heavy flurries on Saturday, but it didn't last long. We did however get howling wind on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and it made it freezing cold, especially on Sunday. The drive home was absolutely beautiful, sunny and warmer as we drove south.

Jean: Sounds like you had a good time with the family. I feel for Amanda and Jason running into icy roads. I was really leery of that, but the only problem we had was at the hotel. We check in and they gave us our room. Now understand, we stayed at Residence Inn so the rooms are in separate buildings about 8 rooms to a building, 2 upper, 2 lower on each side. We found ours, loaded up arms with as much as we could carry, got to the room and in and someone had been in the bed! Nothing else was touched and there were a couple key cards on the table. The tp and paper towels still had their little points folded, no towels or amenities had been touched, so we wondered if someone came in on staff to nap or have a little you know what. We called and then Jack went up and got keys. We hauled everything back to the car and drove around trying to find the second room. I specifically told them bottom floor without too much walking only because of carrying stuff and I need one hand to hold onto a bannister if I am on stairs. Well, the dope put us in a building far away from the parking area and it had steps to get into the rooms, but unfortunately, we had dragged stuff a bazillion miles to the room first. Back Jack goes and we finally get a room close to the parking lot on the bottom floor. We got $20 a night taken off our room charges for all the mess, though. They had a nice breakfast buffet every morning so we didn't have to pay for breakfast, the room was really lovely and was an enjoyable stay. Jay paid for all our meals so it ended up being a fairly cheap trip! :lol: Glad Mom is doing better. Hope you have fun at the Rockettes!

We had an absolutely fabo time, got a lot of play time with the baby including babysitting, which was fun. Thought you might like to see a few pics of Christmas. This was his first visit with Santa. Boy did he take to Jack. Jack taught him to high five and he won't do it with anyone but Jack. I included a picture of my three generations of Jack, aren't they cute? :hug: He found the wrapping paper particularly yummy! :lol: We had a wonderful time, but of course, I had all the cleaning up to do because poor Jack had to go right back to work yesterday.

For Christmas the boys (Kelly bought it) a sterling silver and beaded bracelet with a little heart clasp that had two rows of little blocks, each block spelling out my grandson's name. I just sat and cried over it. Then Jackson bought me this adorable Christmas ornament, which was a row of snow with little hooks and each hook held a tiny candy cane. Each cane had a heart in the center and one said, I love grandpa, I love grandma, Jackson, and Thomas. My son found it funny that I sat and boohooed over this little thing, but it was so sweet. Stuff like that means much more to me than expensive gifts would.

I guess I better check the laundry and see if it is done.
Have a good Thursday.
Faye

Good morning to you all. I got a post card from Maggie, but the postman tore it all up and I couldn't read most of it. It was a poem or something I think.

Hope everyone is doing well this am. It is raining cats and dogs here, but it is snowing up north so I am keeping my mouth shut! :D

I have to pick up the dog from the kennel today, go and get yarn for a couple felted handbags a friend wants me to make, take Thomas's Christmas from his aunt and uncle over to his Nana's and then to the grocery store for dinner tonight.

The sweater is coming along. I am pretty close to finishing the front then will bind off and finish up the back then knit the sleeves. I have never done a raglan sweater before so we shall see how it goes. I will have to put it aside because the friend wants one of the bags for her dd for her birthday and that is January 20th. It has to be shipped to Indiana so I hope I can find the yarn today and get going on it.

Other than that, nothing exciting. Commissary probably tomorrow (they have the back gate closed until after the first of the year so we have to drive all the way around front, which is an extra 5 miles or so) then on Tuesday since Jack is home, we are going to go see the new National Treasure movie. My sister says it is really good and we liked the first one a lot.

Have a good weekend everyone! Stay warm and dry if possible.

Faye

Good morning, ladies!

Glad you both had a nice Christmas. I guess we are all in agreement we need a few hours rest after the big day.

Stan's surgery went well yesterday so he now has another card he has to carry all the time to alert medical people he has a "ProCol bioprosthetic vascular access graft manufactured from bovine vein." The back has directions for cannulation with this type graft. He has to be careful not to sit anything heavy on his lap or hit that part of his leg. I can actually feel this one thrill (pulse) which I never could with the other. It's important to feel this everyday because a clot could develop and if they can get to it quickly they can clear it out and keep using the graft.

It was extremely windy last night and tonight we have a good chance for showers. Now its just overcast. I hate it when the sun isn't out - it's very depressing for me.

Jean, I'm glad Mom is okay. My cat is like a child. He got a new bowl and special treats for Christmas, and a plate of turkey breast for his dinner (the only people food he eats).

Faye, I'm with you - it's the little things that touch me more than an expensive gift. I'm glad your trip was uneventful (except for the hotel). That is a great picture of the 3 Jacks. Baby Jack is sure a big one! I'm glad you got to babysit and do some bonding.